Hard hat attachment system and sun visor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12336586-B2
Application number	US-202117461163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2021
Priority date	Aug 17, 2020
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A universal mounting system for a hard hat is provided that includes front and rear mounting locations and auxiliary ridges on either side. A visor is coupled to the hard hat mounting system in such a way as to provide access with minimal interference from the visor to the equipment attached to the mounting locations and ports in the auxiliary ridges. Various embodiments of visors enable modular designs that incorporate different materials and features of the visor. Parallel stretch zones enable folding and holding opposite brims of the visor. Enclosed elastic areas along the inner sides of visor provide user access to auxiliary ridges. Combinations of various accessories on hard hat and how the accessories work together on the universal mounting system are discussed: such as the interaction between visors, earmuffs, face shields, and lamps.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hard hat system comprising:
a hard hat comprising:
a shell formed from a rigid material; and
an accessory mounting location located along an outer surface of the shell, the accessory mounting location comprising a port having an opening, the port configured to receive and support an accessory; and

a visor reversibly coupled to the hard hat, the visor comprising:
a first portion extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the shell in a first direction and extending radially outward from the shell forming a sun-blocking flange;
a second portion coupled to the first portion and positioned adjacent to the accessory mounting location, wherein the second portion is deformable relative to the first portion such that the second portion deforms to accommodate and cover a portion of the accessory coupled to the accessory mounting location allowing the accessory to extend from the accessory mounting location to below the second portion; and
a bridge formed from a material less elastic than the entire second portion, the bridge extending between and separating sections of the second portion;
wherein the opening of the port faces a second direction, the second direction different than the first direction.

2. The hard hat system of claim 1 , the second portion is formed from a material that is more elastic than a material of the first portion.

3. The hard hat system of claim 1 , the second portion comprising a first zone on a first side of the shell and a second zone on a second side of the shell opposite the first side.

4. The hard hat system of claim 3 , wherein the first side is a left side of the shell and the second side is a right side of the shell.

5. The hard hat system of claim 4 , comprising a first fastener that couples the visor to the left side of the shell and a second fastener that couples the visor to the right side of the shell.

6. The hard hat system of claim 1 , the second portion comprising a third zone and a fourth zone separated by the bridge, wherein the third zone and the fourth zone are both positioned on a first side of the shell.

7. The hard hat system of claim 1 , wherein the second portion is less taut than the first portion.

8. A hard hat system comprising:
a hard hat comprising a shell formed from a rigid material, the hard hat comprising:
a mounting location, the mounting location comprising a first projection and a second projection, the first projection and the second projection extending outward from opposing sides of the mounting location, the second projection extending outward and away from the first projection;
a brim extending radially outward from a portion of an exterior surface of the shell; and
an accessory mounting location located along a side of the exterior surface of the shell, the accessory mounting location comprising a port; and

a visor reversibly coupled to the hard hat, the visor comprising a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion moveable between a covering configuration in which the front portion extends in a forward direction away from a front of the hard hat and beyond an outer edge of the brim, and a stowed configuration in which the front portion extends in a rearward direction away from a rear of the hard hat such that the brim is uncovered;
wherein the mounting location and the accessory mounting location are unobstructed when the visor is in the stowed configuration.

9. The hard hat system of claim 8 , further comprising a strap extending under the brim, wherein the front portion interfaces with the rear portion when the front portion is in the stowed configuration, and wherein the strap is configured to secure the front portion and the rear portion in the stowed configuration.

10. The hard hat system of claim 8 , comprising a clip coupled to the rear portion of the visor, the clip coupling the visor and the hard hat.

11. The hard hat system of claim 8 , comprising a clip coupled to the front portion of the visor, the clip couples to a front of the hard hat when the visor is in the covering configuration.

12. The hard hat system of claim 8 , the visor comprising a first folding location on a first side of the visor and a second folding location on a second side of the visor opposite the first side.

13. The hard hat system of claim 12 , the first folding location is formed from a material that is more elastic than portions of the visor adjacent the first folding location.

14. The hard hat system of claim 8 , the rear portion comprising a relief portion that is less taut than portions of the visor adjacent the relief portion.

15. The hard hat system of claim 8 , the mounting location positioned on a front facing portion of the shell or a rear facing portion of the shell, wherein the first projection extends toward the accessory mounting location.

16. A hard hat system comprising:
a hard hat comprising a shell formed from a rigid material, the shell comprising:
a front;
a rear; and
a side positioned between the front and the rear;

a clip coupled to the side of the hard hat, the clip with an engaging portion comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, each of the upper surface and the lower surface facing in an upward direction toward the hard hat, the clip is configured to couple to the hard hat in a first position or in a second position, the upper surface engaging with the hard hat when the clip is in the first position and the lower surface engaging with the hard hat when the clip is in the second position, wherein the upper surface is spaced a distance above the lower surface; and
a visor coupled to the clip such that the visor is reversibly supported to the hard hat via the clip and extends circumferentially around a portion of the hard hat.

17. The hard hat system of claim 16 , the visor extends from the hard hat at a first angle relative to horizontal when the clip is coupled to the hard hat in the first position, and the visor extends from the hard hat at a second angle relative to horizontal when the clip is coupled to the hard hat in the second position, the first angle is different than the second angle.

18. The hard hat system of claim 17 , the first angle is measured at a front of the hard hat, and the second angle is measured at the front of the hard hat.

19. The hard hat system of claim 17 , the first angle is greater than the second angle.

20. The hard hat system of claim 16 , the lower surface is spaced a second distance closer to a center of the hard hat than the upper surface.

21. The hard hat system of claim 16 , the engaging portion is biased in a horizontal direction against the hard hat.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Zeilinger Todd Andrew
• Mccarthy Patrick W
• Adams Caleb C
• Summersett Nicole Z
• Cline Scott Michael

Classifications

• A42B3/185

  Securing goggles or spectacles on helmet shells · CPC title

• A42B3/0406

  Accessories for helmets · CPC title

• A42B3/227

  with sun visors, e.g. peaks above face opening · CPC title

• A42B3/22 Primary

  Visors · CPC title

• A42B3/04 Primary

  Parts, details or accessories of helmets · CPC title